I am a newbie to Dominions, arrived here via Brads/Frogboy/Draginals's (he likes his alter egos) link. So any publicity or discussion on any other forum is good for Dominions, it will attract new blood (no not new bloodslaves
) to the game.
I am a huge Galactic Civilizations 2 fan, very few games retain my interest after 40+ games and six months playing, but I still love playing GC2. GC2 has been a great success, plans exist for 2 expansions and there will be a GC3. The community on the GC forums is argumentative, very demanding and easy to criicize, must be a sci-fi thing. The community on here seem altogether nicer. I think Stardock r too soft/easy going when arguments/debate gets out of hand.
Brad was right about there being a potiential crossover between GC2 and Dom3. After downloading the Dom2 demo and playing it for a week, I could not pre-order Dom3 fast enougth. It's strange that alot of negative comment was placed on the thread, because Dominions looks a great game to me and a recent poll of Stardock's asking which new game they should develop, came out overwhealmingly in favour of a fantasy strategy game.
AI wise, I would not even compare the two together. GC2 has the best AI in the pc gaming world, while Dominions went from the opposite side, concentrating on being a multiplayer game to adding AI on. As both games develop perhaps they will travel 2 different paths meeting in the same place, ie...both good AI and multiplayer. It would be better to compare Dominions AI to Heros Of Might & Magic, Age Of wonders and Disciples. In such a comparsion Dominions AI is not that bad and can provide a decent enough challenge to hold a players interest, especially at impossible level.
Dominions strengths r its huge depth, excellent game design, playability and re-playability and the helpful Dominions community.